MANSFIELD, Ohio — After all these years, veteran Bobby Gill is still one of the best short-track drivers around — and he proved it again in the first round of the Hooters Pro Cup Championship Series at Mansfield Motorsports Park.
After starting 29th in the 36-car field, Gill knifed his way to the top five just after the halfway mark, slid around Gary St. Amant for the lead on lap 171 and led to the finish of Sunday’s Charlie Campbell Memorial Sears Auto Center 250.
This was his series-record 45th career victory and his second trip to victory lane this season.
“It was important for us to get off to a good start in the Championship Series,” said Gill, driver of the No. 06s USG Sheetrock Ford. “But we should have won about four races this year already.”
After losing the lead, St. Amant stayed glued to Gill’s bumper for the remainder of the event.
Several late-race restarts gave St. Amant a chance to reclaim the top spot, and he nearly did when the green waved for the final restart on lap 247.
As Gill’s car wiggled coming up to full power, St. Amant dived to the inside of the leader in turn one and stayed alongside Gill into turn three. But when St. Amant dived to the inside of the track, third-place Lonnie Rush, Jr. made it a three-car battle for the win by jumping to the outside of St. Amant. With Rush on his high side, St. Amant knew his chances at victory were gone.
For Gill, the checkers couldn’t come out soon enough as St. Amant continued to attack.
“Our car was real loose on the last few restarts. I didn’t know we were going to win until we crossed the line,” said Gill, who took home $12,500. “I’m just glad there were only three laps left after that last restart.”
Gill picked up five bonus points for leading a race-high 80 laps and also grabbed five more via the Aaron’s “Do The Math” Award for advancing the most positions. Combined with his win, Gill chopped St. Amant’s point lead down to 20 points heading into the next Championship Series event at Iowa Speedway.
Rush held on for third, while Shane Wallace was fourth and Benny Gordon took fifth.
The finish:
Showing driver, car, money won: 1. Bobby Gill, Ford, $12,500; 2. Gary St. Amant, Chevrolet, $6,500; 3. Lonnie Rush, Jr., Chevrolet, $5,500; 4. Shane Wallace, Ford, $4,500; 5. Benny Gordon, Ford, $4,250; 6. Mark McFarland, Chevrolet, $3,750; 7. Brandon Ward, Ford, $4,000; 8. Derek Kale, Chevrolet, $2,800; 9. A.J. Frank, Chevrolet, $2,600; 10. James Buescher, Chevrolet, $2,400; 11. Matt Carter, Ford, $2,200; 12. Clay Jones, Ford, $2,100; 13. Dange Hanniford, Chevrolet, $2,000; 14. Caleb Holman, Chevrolet, $1,900; 15. Brian Scott, Ford, $1,800; 16. Jody Lavender, Ford, $1,700; 17. Jay Fogleman, Ford, $1,700; 18. Frank Deiny, Jr., Ford, $2,700; 19. Mike Garvey, Ford, $1,700; 20. Gary Helton, Chevrolet, $1,700; 21. Kirk Leone, Ford, $1,600; 22. Jeff Agnew, Ford, $1,600; 23. Richard Boswell, Chevrolet, $1,600; 24. Matt Hawkins, Ford, $1,600; 25. Chase Pistone, Chevrolet, $1,600; 26. Ray Love, Jr., Chevrolet, $1,500; 27. Johnny Rumley, Chevrolet, $1,500; 28. Shelby Howard, Chevrolet, $1,500; 29. Joey Coulter, Ford, $1,500; 30. Michael Ritch, Ford, $2,500; 31. Sam Fullone, Chevrolet, $1,500; 32. Derrick Kelley, Ford, $1,500; 33. Ben Stancill, Ford, $1,500; 34. Trevor Bayne, Chevrolet, $1,500; 35. Dusty Williams, Ford, $1,500; 36. Woody Howard, Chevrolet, $1,500.